North Hempstead Proposes Bi-Partisan Legislation to Address Clustering of Medical Marijuana Facilities in Town

North Hempstead, NY – North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth and Town Council Members Dina De Giorgio, Angelo Ferrara, Anna Kaplan, Peter Zuckerman, Lee Seeman and Viviana Russell announced today the Town will be putting forth two amendments to the Town zoning code to regulate medical marijuana facilities. The first proposed amendment would prevent medical marijuana dispensaries from becoming retail stores for recreational marijuana, should recreational marijuana become legal. The second proposed amendment would regulate where a medical marijuana dispensary can be located in the Town. On October 25, the Town Board will set dates for public hearings on each amendment.

The bi-partisan pieces of legislation are in response to the clustering of medical marijuana dispensaries that have been appearing only in North Hempstead since last year, the latest proposed for Northern Boulevard in Manhasset.

“While I support the use of medical marijuana for those who are suffering from serious medical conditions, it is concerning that the Town of North Hempstead is the only municipality in Nassau County with any active or proposed facilities,” said Supervisor Bosworth. “These amendments to our Town’s zoning code will provide more regulation.”

North Hempstead is currently the only municipality in Nassau County that has any medical marijuana dispensaries-one in Lake Success; one in Carle Place under renovation and a third, recently proposed for a location in Manhasset. The Manhasset location would be the third medical marijuana dispensary in the Town. The New York State Board of Health has stated that the Lake Success location will simply be relocating to more a convenient and accessible location in Manhasset.

“I believe that this planned move by MedMen is a precursor to setting the stage for a retail storefront should marijuana become legalized for recreational use,” said Supervisor Bosworth, “and this proposed legislation will prevent that from happening.”

“These proposed amendments to our Town code will preserve the quality of life that North Hempstead residents expect and will prevent this area from becoming Nassau County’s future hotspot for retail recreational marijuana, should the State laws change. It will also preclude the clustering of medical marijuana dispensaries to just one small area,” said Council Member Anna Kaplan.

“I am pleased that we were able to combine our two approaches to solve the same problem” said Councilmember De Giorgio.

There have been no other dispensary locations proposed in the two other towns and two cities in Nassau County. Not one in the Town of Hempstead; not one in the Town of Oyster Bay; not one in the City of Long Beach or the City of Glen Cove

North Hempstead is home to 17% of Nassau County’s approximately 1.3 million residents and, as of today, 100% of the County’s current and proposed medical marijuana dispensaries.